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Topic Review (Newest First)

02-01-2004 10:03 PM

natrix

how do you lock the spinner shaft in the vise

metalhead

Just clamp it by the end with the hook on it. It dose flop around a bit and you just have to work around that.

Natrix

01-31-2004 12:35 AM

metalhead

spring

natrix , how do you lock the spinner shaft in the vise to tie a fly?it seems with all that spring in the spinner shaft it would be tough to tie??

01-30-2004 05:59 PM

Philster

When you get to Cabelas pick up a spinnerbait jig and some bulk wire. Used to make largemouth/striper bunny flies up to a foot long for the California Delta. Then I got smart and realized long slinky feathers cast easier and have more movement... Gave the jig away. Been loads happier since:hehe:

01-30-2004 03:58 PM

kjackson

That's a "why didn't I think of that?" photo if there ever was one...

Excellent idea, Natrix.

The applications and variations on that theme are truly mind boggling! Not only can you use a bead to close the loop at the hook, you could slide a cone head or bead on the front loop as well. And with stainless wire, the saltwater potential is exciting. Hmmm, it's off to Cabela's for me. At a price of something less than $.08 a piece for the shafts, a person could get real creative.

Thanks, sir.

Keith

01-29-2004 08:21 PM

natrix

The spinner shaft shank

kjackson

In the attached image I have shown the spinner shaft as it comes. Notice the end is formed so that all you need to do is attach the hook then wrap some thread around the shaft. You could also use a bead

On the other end of the shaft I use a pair of round (smooth no teeth) jaw pliers to form a closed wire up turned loop which is identical to the eye on most salmon or steal head hooks.

The lower immage shows the shank with a #8 Gami. sea hook. The total lenght of the shank with the hook is 3-1/2 inches long from end to end.

Just put it in the vice and tie whateverr you like. You can obviously tie some really big patterns with this.

What I like about these is the whole thing is somewhat flexible, the wire has a bit of a spring to it, and the small hook penetrates and holds very well.

Natrix

01-28-2004 08:28 PM

kjackson

Say what?

Natrix-- The Waddington shank I understand, but I'm unclear on the spinner shaft... I'm guessing that it has a loop on one end that slides onto the shank. Then on the hook end there is another loop that clips open and closed, right? You slide the tail hook on that and wrap chenille over the clip. Is that correct?

How long a spinner shaft do you use?

That Waddington Bunny Leech you tie definitely looks like a shock and awe fly-- I'm going to have to get busy tying for a trip I'm making to Alaska this summer...

Thanks,

Keith

01-28-2004 07:03 PM

natrix

do you let the hook swing or do you use junction tube?

kjackson

I have tried both. I have not noticed any real difference in the way the fly tracks in the water.

On the clipped hook. I was doing that for a while. I used a loop of stailess wire to attach the trailer hook. It worked fine for trout, but when I hooked a big chinook on one the loop pulled out
(several times). What I have gone to since is a waddington shank with a stainless spinner shaft. This is bomb proof, and dedly to.

Thanks, gentlemen; I appreciate the input. At the moment, I've tied a few experiments using a clipped hook instead of a shank. I'll try some tube versions as well. Testing takes place tomorrow if the river's not blown.

Natrix-- before I forget: nice stonefly nymph you have on the other thread. On the tube you showed as an example-- do you let the hook swing or do you use junction tube?

The idea my informant passed along was that the fly should have as much motion as possible-- hence the tail hook or section should be moving as well as the dressing of the fly itself.

Don-- I've got to look at your furling process some more and see if it's an advantage for what I'm doing or trying to do. I sure can see some applications, but I'd like to think a bit before I ask questions.

Thanks again,

Keith

01-26-2004 09:25 PM

Don Johnson

tandem articulation

I do not know much about tying on tubes, but I do know of a very fast way of tying articulated bunny leeches that deviates from the standard, tedious construction techniques. The harness material can be made of various materials (mono, braided Dacron, lead-core, braided stainless) depending on how much motion or stiffness you desire or how much you want to spend (braided stainless wire is expensive).

This is a 1" long tube with a size 8 Gamigatsu sea hook as a trailer. Cross cut rabbit is palmered on the tube and a strip is tied on the hook Matuka style. Had fun with this on the Klikcitat in September 03 on a couple of nice bright Chinooks.

Natrix

01-26-2004 12:46 PM

Philster

I've done lots of similar things in saltwater, especially high speed bluewater trolling where things slash more than bite. Making use of things like beads, or small sections of clear tubes interspersed with beads, between the tube and the hook, or "GASP!" swivels and snaps (the fine wire ones you find attached to crankbaits) you can easily do whatever you want. By the way, I probably wouldn't fish for stripers, largemouth, or shad without those little snaps. Change flies 40 times a day minimum...

01-26-2004 12:26 PM

Philster

I've done lots of similar things in saltwater, especially high speed bluewater trolling where things slash more than bite. Making use of things like beads, or small sections of clear tubes interspersed with beads, between the tube and the hook, or "GASP!" swivels and snaps (the fine wire ones you find attached to crankbaits) you can easily do whatever you want. By the way, I probably wouldn't fish for stripers, largemouth, or shad without those little snaps. Change flies 40 times a day minimum...

01-25-2004 05:10 PM

kjackson

Articulated tube flies?

Here's a quick question of all you tube maestros: Is there any way to tie something like an articulated bunny leech on a tube? That is the cross-cut rabbit is wound on the tube and the straight tail is tied on the trailing hook which itself is swinging free..

That doesn't seem very clear to me, but that's what I'm contemplating. A fellow fly fisher recommended a small, articulated bunny leech, but he was tying on a small shank. Lacking the small shanks, not wanting to drive the 20 miles to the fly shop, and thinking about going fishing before I do, I thought someone on the board might already have the answer.

My concerns have to do with the hook being free-swinging. Is it necessary to use a junction tube? The idea is to produce as much motion into the pattern as possible. I thought of stringing a few beads between the tube and the fly, but I can't figure out what advantage they might provide.

Failing the tube idea, I suppose I could tie something using a trailer hook as the tail of the fly ala the Miyawaki Beach Popper.